Apparatus for controlling flow of water from rivers, &amp;c., to canals, docks, or other hydraulic works.



No. 726,316. PATENTBD'APR, 28, 1903.

G. E. LIVBSAY. APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING FLOW OF WATER FROM RIVER S,650., TO

GANALS, DUCKS, OR OTHER HYDRAULIC-WORKS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 19. 1900. no MODEL. s smmws-snsm 1.

No. 726,316. PATENTED APR, 28, 1903.

0. R. LIVESAY. APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING FLOW OF WATER FROM RIVERS, &a.,T0 GANALS, DOCKS, 0R ()THER HYDRAULIC WORKS.

APPLICATION TILED FEB. 19, 1900. 1 N0 MODEL. 6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Tm: uonmsyncns cowaorcluwou msnmsmm o. c.

No. 726,316. PATENTED APR. 28, 1903.

- O. E. LIVESAY.

APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING PLOW OF WATER FROM RIVERS, &cl, TO

OANALS, DOOKS, OR OTHER HYDRAULIC WORKS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 19, 1900.

SHBETS-SHEBT 3.

no mg nsL.

msumum. Pinks cu, wormnmv, WASHYN sssss u c N 26,316- PATENTED APR, as,1903;

0. E. LIVESAY.

APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING FLOW OF WATER FROM RIVERS, 620., T0

GANALS, DUCKS, OR OTHER HYDRAULIC WORKS.

APPLICATION TILED FEB. 19, 1900.

N0 MODEL. 6 SHEETSSHEET 4.

l l I J6 J5 1 i ii n1: mams PETEflS co. PHOYO-LITHQ. wasnmcrou. 0.1;

N0. 726,316. PATENTED APR, 28, 1903.

0. E. LIVESAY. APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING PLOW OF WATER FROM RIVERS,650-, TO

UANALS, DOCKS, OR OTHER HYDRAULIC WORKS.

' APPLICATION FILED FEB. 19, 1900.

8 SHBETS+SHEET 5.

N0 MODEL.

ETERS co. vnmoumu, wAshmc-Tom o c No. 726,316. PATENTED APR. 28, 1903.

C. E. LIVESAY.

APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING FLOW OF WATER FROM RIVERS, 850., TO GANALS,DUCKS, OR OTHER HYDRAULIC WORKS.

APPLICATION PILEDTEB. 19, 1900. no MODEL. 6 SHEETS-SHEET a TNLNORRISPETERS co, DMDTO-LITHQ, msnmcron, n. c

" NITED STATES PATET rrrcn.

APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING FLOW OF WATER FROM RIVERS, &c., TO CANALS,DOCKS, OR OTHER HYDRAULIC WORKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 726,316, dated April28, 1903:. Application filed February 19, 1900. Serial No. 5,745. (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES EDWARD LIVE- SAY, a subject of the Queen ofGreat Britain and Ireland, residing at Castle Hill, Ealing, in thecounty of Middlesex, England, have invented Improvements in Means orAppara tus for Controlling the Flow of Water from Rivers and otherWaterways to Canals, Docks, or other Hydraulic Works, of which thefollowing is a specification.

I have found by experiment that the density of silt held in suspensionin river and other water increases with the depth thereof from thesurface where it is least, and this invention has reference to improvedmeans orapparatus designed to enable the supply of water from a river orother source of supply (hereinafter called a river) to canals, docks,and other hydraulic works to be drawn from or as near as possible to thesurface of the river where the quantity of silt is least, so as tothereby exclude the passage of the larger quantity of silt contained inthe water at a greater depth. The means or apparatus used for thispurpose, according to this invention, comprises a water-controllingdevice arranged between the two waterways, so as to separate the onefrom the other, excepting over its upper end, and having its upper endadapted to be brought below the lowest water-level in the waterway towhich water is to flow, so as to be available for use at differentstages of the tide in the river, and means for moving the said devicebodily, so as to raise and lower its upper end relatively to the levelof the river. Such a water-controlling device and the means forsupporting and operating the same can be constructed and arranged invarious Ways to suit particular applications.

The invention consists, therefore, in certain novel features ofconstruction and in various combinations and arrangements of partshereinafter more particularly described and enumerated in the claims.

In the accompanying illustrative drawings, Figures 1, 2, and 3 show anarrangement of apparatus suitable for controlling the flow of water froma river to a canal, ..Fig. 1 being a front view as seen from the river,Fig. 2 a plan, and Fig. 3 a vertical section on the line D D of Fig. 2.Figs. at and 4 are enlarged detail views. Figs. 5 and 6 show,respectively, in front elevation and plan an arrangement of apparatussuitable for controlling the flow of water from a river to docks. Fig. 7is a cross-section on the line E E of Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a cross-sectioncorresponding to the line F F of Fig. 5, but drawn to a larger scale;and Fig. 9 is a corresponding part plan. Fig. 10 is a part plan, andFig. 11 a part cross section on the line G G of Fig. 10, showing amodification. Fig. 12 is an elevation as seen from the dock side,showing a modified arrangement of the apparatus. Fig. 13 is a1ongitudinal section, and Fig. 14 a plan, showing 'an arrangement ofapparatus suitable for use in connection with the entrance-locks ofdocks. Figs. 15 and 16 are similar views to Fig. 13, showing modifiedarrangements.

In one construction of the apparatus suitable for controlling thepassage of water from a river to a canal the apparatus comprises ashutter (or there may be more than one) arranged. to slide inpenstock-grooves in masonry piers or iron standards, so as to allow ofthe supply of water passing from the river over its top instead of, asis usual, under its bottom, the shutter being actuated by floats whichrise and fall with the river, so as to insure a uniform discharge beingmaintained in all states of the river, and being provided with means foradjusting its position vertically independently of the floats, the depthof the discharge-water passing over its upper end depending upon thedepth below the level of the river to which the top edge of the shutteris adjusted. In one arrangement of this kind (shown in Figs. 1 toinclusive) the masonry 18 of the head-sluice is built to form on theriver side abutment-piers 19 and the wing-walls 20, so designed as toform between them on opposite sides of the waterway 21, connecting theriver a and canal 22, and on the river side of the piers or wing-walls,compartments or wells 23, in which are located floats 24, the masonrybeing also arranged to form wing-walls 25 on the canal side, as usual.lhe floats 24 are provided with standards 26, which may, as shown, beopen-work metal frames that carry a raised cross-girder 27, from whichthe shutter 28 is suspended by. a

vertically-adjustable screw-threaded rod 29. The shutter 28 works invertical grooves 30, formed in the piers 19. The ends of the girder 27slide in guideways 31, that are formed in the adjacent sides of steps32, and in vertical channel-irons 33, carried by the masonry 18, andserve to prevent endwise and lateral movement of the girder. To furtherassist in preventing such movement of the girder 27, there is or may befixed to the girder lateral plates 34, that work in grooves in theabutment-piers 19. Above the girder is a gangway 36, the ends of whichare accessible from the steps 32 in all states of the river. By means ofthis gangway access can be gained to the mechanism 37, used foradjusting the height of the shutter 28, so that any required depth ofwater can be passed over the top edge thereof. As will be seen, thearrangement is such that when the river a falls the shutter 28 slidesinto a socket 38, Fig. 3, arranged below the bed of the canal 22, andwhen entirely within that socket the floats 24 come to rest on thebottoms 41 of the compartments or wells 23, in which they work, thewaterway 21 between the river and canal being then entirely open, andthat by raising the shutter 28 the discharge from the river to the canalcan be wholly out 01f at any state of the river. At the bottom of thesocket 38 is a perforated pipe 42, that is connected to a source ofwater under pressure, by means of which the socket can beflushedperiodically, so as to remove silt deposited therein.

Any desirednumber of consecutive or parallel shutters can be employed toincrease the discharge, the several shutters being suspended from agirder-actuated by floats, as described, and held in place by ironstandards or struts of I-section, as in an arrangement hereinafterdescribed, or by three or more masonry piers like 19, Figs. 1 and 2,arranged between the abutments or wing-walls. In another constructionsuitable for use with docks, the entrance locks of which are fittedwithreverse-gates to exclude the river, the water-controlling apparatus isarranged to control the passage of water from the river to the docksthrough a waterway independent of the entrance-looks and comprisesacontinuous or wide shutter or several consecutive narrower shuttersarranged to slide in penstock-grooves in masonry abutments or piers orin iron struts or standards and suspended from a rotary shaft controlledby winches connected to the ends thereof, the arrangement being suchthat by rotating the shaft the top of the shutter or shutters can beraised or lowered, so as to fill the docks to high waterlevel'in a giventime, and that the upper end of the shutter or shutters can be moved toa position below the lowest waterlevel that will obtain in the docks,so, that the apparatus will be available for efiicient use at diflerentlevels of the river and not merely for high spring-tides. The shaft maybe carried by masonry abutments or piers or bya girder supportedby-fioats, so as to work automatically, as in the arrangement lastherein described, the floats, however, being arranged on the dock sideof the shutter. In one arrangement of this kind (shown in Figs. 5 to 9,inclusive) the shaft 44 is carried by masonry abutments 45 and isprovided with a number of pulleys 46, around which extend chains 47,connected to the shutter 28, which is made as a wide continuous shutterand is supported on each side by iron or other suitable struts 48 49, soas to resist the water-pressure both when the docks are being filled andwhen the docks are full. The shaft 44 passes through pillars 50,carrying bearings, and is furnished at its ends with toothed wheels 51,which are adapted to be rotated by winches 52, so as to wind up or payout the chains 47, and so raise or lower the shutter. The chains 47maybe countersunk into the pulleys 46, Fig. 9, so as to gear therewithand be connected at both ends to the shutter 28, (see Fig. 8,) theirlength being such as tov admit of the shutter being lowcred as a wholeentirely below the sill 53 into a socket or recess 38, provided with aflushing-pipe 42, as before. The chains 47 may, however, be connected tothe pulleys in any other suitable way. The level of the sill 53 is fixedat the depth below lowest water-level in the docks at whichit iscalculated that the discharge should be admitted over the shutter tofill the docks within a certain time. The supporting-struts 49 for theshutter 28 are made high enough to support the rotary shaft 44 atsuitable points between the pillars 50.

The method of working the apparatus is as follows: When the water in theriver a has risen to the same height as the water in the docks,-theshutter 28 islowered to the depth it is intended to pass the supply,this depth beingread off on a suitable gage 16, carried by the shutter.As the river rises theshutter 28 is raised by rotating the shaft 44, soas to maintain the desired depth, and when the river has attained thehighest level for that tide the shutter is raised about a foot higher,so as to impound the water taken in. Instead of a single continuousshutter the same result can be achieved by separate con-- secutiveshutters 28, (see Fig. 10,) arranged between struts 48,]1aving verticalportions 54, made of I or double-channel section, so as to form groovesto hold the shutters 28 in place. In this case the struts 49 on the dockside, Figs. 5 to 9,'are not required, and the rotary shaft 44 may besupported by brackets 55, Fig. 11, fixed to the portions 54 of thestruts 48 on the river side at suitable inter vals. The socket 38 belowthe regulator-sill is in this case divided into compartments to receiveeach shutter separately. By this construction any required breadth ofwaterway may be obtained, masonry or other piers be- I ing introduced atintervals to carry additional winches, if necessary. The rotary shaft14, from which the shutters are suspended, may also be worked byhydraulic or other power, and a footway 56, supported by brackets 57 onportions 54 of the struts 18, Fig. 11, may be provided, so as to aflordready access to the bearings, pulleys 46, and other parts.

In the modified arrangement shownin Fig. 12 the rotary shaft 4:4 iscarried by a girder 58, the ends of which are supported by floats 59 inthe dock-basin, so as to rise and fall with the water in the dock. Whenwinches 52 are also employed, as shown,to adjust the position of theupper ends of the shutters 28 relatively to the surface of the water,they maybe carried by platforms 60 on the standards 61, supporting thegirder 58 on the floats 59. Once lowered to the proper depth to admitthe supply of water from the river the floats raise the shuttersautomatically as the dock-level rises and maintain the original depth ofsupply until the docks are filled to the desired extent, when theshutters are finally lifted to impound the supply.

In another construction, suitable for use where the entrance-locks ofdocks are not fitted with reverse-gates to exclude the river, thewater-controlling apparatus comprises a shutter the lower end of whichis hinged or pivoted below the floor-level of the entrance channel orlock and the upper or free end of which is lifted by chains extendingfrom the side walls of the entrance channel or look or by a float, so asto pass only a certain depth of water over its top to fill the dockswithin a specified time. Figs. 13 and 14 show one arrangement of thiskind. The shutter 28 is made slightly wider than the width of theentrance channel or look 63, its sides extending into recesses 64 in theside walls thereof and its lower end being secured at or below the floorof the entrance channel or look by trunnions or journals 65, that extendunder the side walls, the arrangement being such that the shutter whennot in use can be folded down into a recess 66 in the floor of theentrance channel or look, so that when in that position it will be belowsuch floor. The recess 66 is provided with perforated pipes 42, by whichit can be periodically flushed to keep it clear of silt, especiallyduring the time the shutter is raised and working. When the tide risesand before the gates 67 open, the shutter 28 is lifted either by itschains 68, worked by hydraulic or other power and passing through holes69 in the side walls of the entrance lock or channel, or by a float e,or by both these means combined, until its top edge is at a certaindepth below the surface of the Water, at which depth the supply isintended to be admitted to fill the dock. As the tide rises the shutteris raised to maintain that depth, a gage 16, hinged to the top of theshutter 28 and kept vertical by a float 71, serving to indicate thedepth of water passing. After the lock-gates 67 are closed the shutteris folded down into its recess 66.

When'a float e is employed to raise the shutter, as shown, it may becontained in a box or hollow girder,which would also strengthen theshutter. In this case chains 72, extending from the lower side of theshutter and worked by hydraulic or other power, are released to allowthe shutter to rise automatically until the gage 16 shows that therequired depth of water above the top edge of the shutter is attained,the chains 68, extending from the upper. side of the shutter, being atthe same time drawn in, so as to thereby prevent the shutter from beingunduly depressed by the discharge over its top. As the river continuesto rise the chains 72 are let out and the others, 68, drawn in, so as tomaintain the required depth of supply over the shutter. Finally, whenthe dock isfilled and the lockgates 67 closed the shutter 28 is drawndown into its recess 66 by the chains 72 and held in that position untilthe next high tide. The shutter 28 may be arranged to fold down and workin the direction of the dock or downstream, as shown in Figs. 13 and14:. It may also be fitted so as to fold down and work in the directionof the river or upstream,as shown in Fig. 15, or it may be allowed toassume a Vertical position when passing the desired supply of water, thesides of the shutter abutting against the side walls of the entrancechannel or look, as shown in Fig. 16. In each case the chains 72 fordrawing down the shutter will usually only be required to retain theshutter in any position for discharge, the float as well as thedischarge of water serving or tending to lift it.

In each case it will be seen that the vertically-adjustable shutter isavailable for use at different stages of the tide in the river and thatit acts at all times to keep back the siltladen water, while permittingof the passage over its upper end of Water that is near the surface ofthe river and is consequently comparatively free from silt.

It will be evident that various changes can be made in the details ofconstruction of the apparatus without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention so long as the relative arrangements of partsshown in the drawings or the mode of operation described in thspecification is preserved.

What I claim is- 1. In apparatus for controlling the flow of water fromone waterway to another, the combination of one or more imperforatebodies arranged to extend from one side to the other of one of saidwaterways and adapted to sepa rate the two waterways from each othereither entirely in any state of either waterway or excepting over its ortheir upper portion or portions which is or are arranged to rise andfall, and a float permanently connected to and adapted to raise andlower the upper portion of said body or bodies with the rise and fall ofthe water in one of said waterways.

2. For controlling the flow of water from a river to a canal, dock orother waterway, the

combination with the two waterways, of a water-controlling deviceadapted to separate the two waterways from each other either en-'tirelyin any state of either waterway or excepting over its upper endand comprising one or more imperforate shutters, arranged to rise andfall in a vertical plane, and a fioatper manently connected to saidshutter or shutters and arranged to be acted uponbythe water in one ofsaid Waterways and to a uto matically raise and lower said shutter orshu tters as the water in such waterway rises and;

falls.

3. For controlling the fiow of water from ai river to a canal, dock orother second waterway, the combination with the two :waterways, of animperforate shutter arranged transversely between thetwowaterways so asto separate the one from the otherexcepting over its upper end and tomove vertically in its own plane, a support arranged abovesaid, shutter,floats, arranged in one of saidwater-l ways and by which said shutter iscarried, and adjustable suspension means whereby said the onefroln theother excepting over its upper end and to move vertically in saidsocket,

:a support arranged above said shutter, floats arranged in one of saidwaterways and by which said shutter is carried, and adjustablesuspension means whereby said shutter is carried from said support andwhereby said shutter can be raised and lowered independently of saidfloats above the highest or below the lowest level of either waterway,substantially as described for the purpose specified.

5. For controlling the flow of water from a river to a canal, dock orsecond waterway,the combination with the two waterways, of a transversevertical socket extending downward from the bed of the second waterwayand closed at its lower end, an imperforate shutter arrangedtransversely between the two waterways so as to separate the one fromthe other either entirely in any state of either waterway or exceptingover its upper end and to move vertically in said socket, said socketbeing made of a depth at least approximately equal to that of saidshutter and means located above said shutter for raising and loweringthe same relatively to the level of either waterway, substantially asdescribed.

6. For controlling the flow of water from a river to a canal, dock, orsecond waterway, the combination with the two waterways, of a transversevertical socket closed at its lower end and provided with means forflushing the same, an imperforate shutter arranged transversely betweenthe two waterways so as to separate the one from the other eitherentirely in any state of either waterway or excepting over its upperend, and to move vertically in said socket, said socket being made of adepth at least approximately equal to that of said shutter androtarymechanism located above said shutter for raising and lowering thesame relatively to the level of either waterway, substantially asdescribed.

7. For controlling the flow of water from a river to a canal, dock orother second waterway, the combination with the two waterways, of atransverse vertical socket, an imperforate shutter arranged transverselybetween, the two waterways so as to separate the onefrom the otherexcepting over its upper end and to move vertically in said socket,lateral guideways adapted to guide said shutter vertically, fixedintermediate stays arranged at intervals across one of said waterwaysand adapted to support said shutter in directions at right angles to itswidth, and meansforraising and lowering said shutter relatively to thelevel of either waterway, substantially as described.

8. For controlling the flow of .water from a -riverto a canal, dock orother second waterway, the combination with the two waterways, of atransverse vertical socket, an imperforate shutter arranged transverselybetween the two waterways so' as to separate the one from the otherexcepting over its upper end and tomove vertically in said socket,lateral and intermediate "ertical guideways adapted toguide said shuttervertically and to support the same at intervals across its width, andmeans for raising and lowering said shutter substantially as described.

9. For controlling the flow of water from a river to a canal, dock orother second waterway, the combination with the two waterways, of animperforate shutter arranged transversely between the two waterways soas, to separate the one from the other excepting over its upper end andto move vertically,

said shutter being made in two or more vertical parts arranged side byside, vertical guideways adapted to guide and support the several partsof said shutter, vertical sockets arranged to receive said parts of theshutter when the same are lowered, and means for raising or lowering theseveral parts of said shutter simultaneously, substantially asdescribed.

10. For controlling the fiow of Water from a river to a canal, dock orother second waterway, the combination with the two waterways, of atransverse vertical socket, an imperforate shutter arranged transverselybetween the two waterways so as to separate the one from the otherexcepting over its upper end and to move vertically in said socket, arotary shaft arranged above said shutter and provided with a pluralityof pulleys, a plurality of flexible connections secured at intervals tothe upper part of said shutter and passing over and engaging with saidpulleys, and means for rotating said rotary shaft, substantially asdescribed.

11. For controlling the flow of water from a river to a canal, dock orother second waterway, the combination With the two waterways, of atransverse vertical socket, an imperforate shutter arranged transverselybetween the two waterways so as to separate the one from the otherexcepting over its upper end and to move vertically in said socket,floats arranged at opposite sides of the second waterway, standardscarried by said floats, a transverse support connected, to the upperends of said standards and located above said shutter, means wherebysaid shutter is suspended from said transverse support, and means forraising and lowering said shutter through said suspension means,substantially as described.

12. For controlling the flow of water from a river to a canal, dock orother second waterway, the combination with the two waterways, of animperforate shutter arranged transversely between the two waterways soas to separate the one from the other excepting over its upper end andto move vertically in said socket, said shutter being made in one ormore parts, a transverse vertical socket made in one or more verticalparts and capable of receiving said shutter when lowered, vertical floatcompartments or wells formed in the masonry at opposite sides of one ofsaid waterways and adjacent to said shutter, floats arranged to workverticallyin said compartments or wells, a transverse support arrangedabove said shutter and carried by said floats, and means connecting saidtransverse support and shutter and whereby the latter can be raised orlowered at will, substantially as described.

13. For controlling the flow of water from a river to a canal, dock orother second waterway, the combination with the two waterways, of atransverse vertical socket extending downward from the bed of the secondwaterway, means for flushing said socket, an imperforate shutterarranged transversely between the two waterways so as to separate theone from the other excepting over its upper end and to move verticallyin said socket, float compartments or wells arranged at 0pposite sidesof the second waterway, floats located in said float-compartments,standards carried by said floats, a rotary shaft carried by saidstandards, extending transversely above said shutter, and provided witha number of pulleys, flexible connections connected to said shutter andpassing upward over and engaging said pulleys, and means for rotatingsaid shaft and pulleys and raising or lowering said shutter,substantially as described for the purposes specified.

Signed at 7 7 Cornhill, in the city of London, England, this 7th day ofFebruary, 1900.

CHARLES EDWARD LIVESAY.

Witnesses:

WM. 0. BROWN, EDMUND S. SNEWIN.

